I'm wanting to use a mulch for my organic ladies. I have an abundance of red Cedar chips I've heard not to use it because of something that kills bacteria in soil, I'm not sure. Wanted to hear opinions. Also an additional question? Is there any nutritional benefit out of using dry baby oatmeal/rice in a tea or maybe a top dressing. Thanks in advance!
Wwll for the red mulch i would guess it would change your ph, as for the babyfood i think it would rot and cause issues. Just my opinion.
@xBreezyx I have heard of using the baby food in soil mix that MUST be cooked. I can't see a problem using it very sparingly, as a top dress sprinkle. I think a better place to try it would be to run it through a worm bin, or add to compost. I have used many meals that need to be cooked with great success. I like soybean, alfalfa, malted blue corn, and malted barley. Most meals will have a similar list of micro/ macro nutrients. I usually use something that brings something extra to the table. Alfalfa-tricontanal, soybean-saponins, malted grains-enzymes. I would search to see if oats bring anything extra to the table. I am kind of suspicious of things that are not just a simple meal. Often during processing, heat or chemicals (preservatives or bleaching agents) are used that steal the "extras" from the table, or worse. Once again. I wouldn't think twice about adding it to a worm bin. That's where I test new things. Some types of wood chips do change your soil ph, even as a mulch (which is the only place it should be, on top of the soil). Its not a big deal in a garden in the ground. Its more significant in containers. I don't know which ones are acid or alkaline. If you find the chips are recommended for berries or acid lovers, there is your answer. I always suggest using bark instead. hth os
Cedar contains naturally occurring arsenic. It also has anti-microbial properties which is part of the reason it's used as a roofing material. So neither of these things make it beneficial for us really. I did have a large pile of this stuff too. It was at least 10 yrs old, completely weathered, and no longer had the cedar smell. It's been used in my compost and my outdoor worm windrows successfully. A 50lb bag of oats will probably cost ya 15-20 bucks. Or you can buy it in the bulk section at an organic grocer. Use a tried and true SST recipe. I still prefer the original method where we sprout the grain ourselves.
I've dabbled with sprouting and malting corn. (Which I'll probably keep doing).I don't have access to barley or alfalfa meal so I try to be on the look out for anything supplemental that would benefit my soil. I use neem/kelp, coconut water, and compost. I have been living on the organics forum and have several Scoobie stickies bookmarked. I like to think I've came a long ass way and greatly appreciate yalls feedback and letting me pick some brains lol.
Barley and alfalfa should be fairly easy to obtain just about anywhere man. Any feed store should have both. Just about any grocer will have barley. For me, I've pretty much stopped using all the extra goodies. I run large raised beds and I just don't have a need for it. Plus I'm lazy and cheap!
That's been me I call it (B.O.B) balling on a budget. I just got into organics, really I've jumped from hydro to soil. The last crop I went straight organic with my compost soil/ and worm castings. Needless to say I am trying to stay all the way organic, it's the only way for me lol. I'm cheap af myself though and it gets a little costly keeping the micro- bugs in my gardens happy lol. I feel like I've went from high school to college grad from this site lol.
I run big beds man! One is over 1000gal of soil. I've had one room setup on a drip system for 3 runs now and love it. Top dress once or twice a run with neem,kelp, and alfalfa. I may use a lil aloe/alfalfa/kelp tea at transplant but that's about it. I have a 160g no till that's been running over 3 years. I've literally done nothing to it for over six months now. I think you will find organics much more cost effective. Free biodynamic accumulators will be out soon. I probably won't see any dandelions for another 6-8 weeks though!
Yes the initial investment will cost a little bit but think in a year you wont ever have to buy anything but mulch, electricity and water.
Dont forget your humus layer! Everyone gets so caught up in adding stuff they forget the fundamentals. A humus layer is compost reduced to only carbon. Bacteria/nematodes/etc thrive in it. Also bug wars are good for the soil. Nematodes prey on micro bacteria and release amino acids. I like to use alfalfa hay as mulch. Rabbit section at the pet store if you dont have a feed store. I buy it by the bail.
Sorry just watched a tubecast on the importance of humus for a healthy ecosystem. I feel like a fan boy. Not for a nutrient company but for compost worm poop anything. I dig it up in my backyard.
@xBreezyx I have been experimenting with corn a lot the last 6 or so months. I stay away from yellow corns as they contain more starch. I love using organic blue corn sprouts. Blue and white organic corns are dirt cheap and available in bulk bins at every health food store. I'm searching for a replacement for coconut water, and this seems to be it. Its a 2 fer, the benefits of coco water and barley in one item. I found a lot of info on using corn around the web at home beer brew sites. Cheers os
Nice info! That's some of the things I look at too I home brew aswell. I have malted corn and mashed it with amylase extract, to get the whole sugar starch conversion locked down . Ferment it for a couple weeks, make good brew lol and use a small amount of leftover yeast malted corn mash as a top dressing. I throw the rest in with my compost. It's full of enzymes, nutrients, and life lol. I still use coco water religiously though.
I can't put brewers waste in my plies. It brings in slugs from miles around. I have tried using it as a decoy pile for slugs at a far corner of the property. Its a shame, because the brewers waste really gets a pile cooking. My thumb is green with envy. os